Atletico Paranaense and Vasco da Gama supporters clash as television footage
captures the brutal fights and a helicopter has to airlift a stricken man to
hospital.

A major Brazilian league match was stopped for more than an hour on Sunday after dozens of supporters from Atletico Paranaense and Vasco da Gama started a savage and shocking battle in the stands and a helicopter had to land on the pitch to airlift a seriously injured man to hospital, while a doctor said that two other fans were taken to hospital in serious conditions.

There were no police inside the stadium – the game was held in the small Arena Joinville because Paranaense's ground is being modernised to host four matches in next year's World Cup – at kick off as a private security company was being used and pictures showed that the rival fans were not segregated.

The groups of supporters charged against one other and it took several minutes for police to intervene, and footage showed at least two stricken fans being mercilessly kicked and stamped on by an angry mob of rival supporters.

A fan lies helpless on the floor as opposition supporters look to kick him when he is down

A Paranaense fan was attacked by Vasco supporters, with one stamping on his neck and then head even though he appeared to be already unconscious. Worryingly, the trouble occurred even though the stadium was half-empty. The foes punched and kicked each other until police finally arrived and fired rubber bullets to contain the situation.

Fan violence has been rampant in Brazil this year and the latest incident raises further concerns ahead of the World Cup. “This is deplorable,” Adilson Batista, the Vasco da Gama coach, said. “It’s sad to see images like these just before the World Cup in our country. This is not sport.”

Television pictures showed players yelling at the fans and telling them to calm down. A few fans tried to leave the stands to find safety. A ball girl was seen crying.

“We looked at the stands and there were no policemen. There was nobody there to stop the fighting,” said Paranaense defender Luiz Alberto, who was shown crying as the altercation was taking place.

“I’ve been playing for 20 years and I’ve never seen anything like this in person. We will have a World Cup in our country and we know these images will be shown everywhere.”

Shortly before the match resumed, Vasco da Gama goalkeeper Alessandro said: "For a country that is hosting the World Cup next year this is very sad. The stadium isn't safe. We're a bit worried."

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Paranaense, winning 1-0 when the violence erupted, went on to win 5-1, condemning former South American champions Vasco to relegation. Paranaense finished third to qualify for next year's Libertadores Cup.

The incidents completely overshadowed the rest of the final day of the Brazilian championship during which Vasco's Rio de Janeiro neighbours Fluminense – who became the first defending champions to be relegated the following season – were also relegated.